Summary:

”Checkerboard lounge: Live in Chicago 1981” was originally released as a CD/DVD bundle in 2012 and is now being released as a standalone CD in a month that see’s Eagle Rock also releasing two other Rolling Stones live CDs – “Some girls: Live in Texas ‘78” and “Ladies and gentlemen: the Rolling stones”.

A live Rolling Stones release is a release that will always appeal to fans, but this live release is more than just a Rolling Stones release. The album was recorded in 1981 when the Rolling Stones, wo are all big Blues fans, visited Buddy Guy’s Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago to see Muddy Waters perform, and it wasn’t long before Muddy Waters got first Mick Jagger then the rest of the band on stage with him to play with him. Buddy Guy and more musicians joined later in the set for one unforgettable performance.

It’s a great show to release – I can’t imagine how excited fans who were there to see Muddy Waters were when the Rolling Stones came on – it’s one of those special events that people dream of seeing. Most of us though will only get to either listen to the show on this CD release or watch it on the DVD release.

The sound is great (I wasn’t sure what to expect given the age of the recording), and as for the content of the show – that’s first rate and I can see myself listening to the album a lot in the future. A great CD release of a fantastic show – a must have for any Blues fans and Rolling Stones fans.